OnePlus 2 phone launch an intimate VR experience

I’ve never sat through an entire presentation dedicated to the launch of a new phone before, and I probably never will again.

But the OnePlus 2 launch last night, from Chinese firm OnePlus, was an unusually compelling and intimate experience.

OnePlus 2 launch.

Presented completely in virtual reality — or, for those without headsets, in 360-degree video — it felt as though you were the only one there, getting a tour of the company’s offices, getting introduced to its CEO, hanging out with some of its customers and employees.

OnePlus co-founder Carl Pie at the OnePlus 2 launch.

Presented completely in virtual reality — or, for those without headsets, in 360-degree video — it felt as though you were the only one there, getting a tour of the company’s offices, getting introduced to its CEO, hanging out with some of its customers and employees.

I’m not about to run out and buy the phone, but now I’ll recognize the company name, which is more than I could have said before.

Watch the full video below. Click-and-drag on the video to look in different directions, or watch on a smartphone with a virtual reality headset for the full immersive experience.

Maria Korolov is editor and publisher of Hypergrid Business. She has been a journalist for more than twenty years and has worked for the Chicago Tribune, Reuters, and Computerworld and has reported from over a dozen countries, including Russia and China. Follow me on Twitter @MariaKorolov.